Bystanders Ignoring Bullying
Imagine being trapped in the corner of the school's hallway. With a group of "big" kids poking, and teasing. Think about how horrible this must feel. Imagine being teased, beaten up, or tortured everyday at school. Being laughed at, left out, and ashamed, never having any true friends. No one's shoulder to cry on. No comforting voice to tell you everything is going to be all right. ESCHS student Jenny Vasquez was seen running out of room 314, during Humanities, in tears. Jenny claimed that a person in her class called her ugly. Jenny kept explaining the things the student said to her, her friends tried to help the situation by going up to the student. Jenny asked them not to, but her friends couldn't stand how anyone so nice could be treated so badly! It didn't work out, instead they asked for the assistant principal to help out Jenny possibly change her schedule so that Jenny wouldn't have to deal with that student since this is always happening to her. Jenny was happy that the bully was punished, and that the school didn't just push this matter away. Bystanders have the power to stop bullying. The bystander is present most of the time when there is someone getting bullied. Beyond Our Community Bullying is usually made up of three people. The bully, the victim, and the bystander. Bullying comes in many forms. The most common bullying type is verbal bullying, physical, and emotional. Another type of bullying that is new to students is Cyber-bullying. Since students are mostly on the internet this has become another form of hurtful bullying. In”Cyber-bullying” (CBC News, 9/10/02), Joan Leishman reports that, a student in Burlington, Ontario has been exposed to such bulling. In”Cyber-bullying” (CBC News, 9/10/02), Joan Leishman reports that, David Knight has been teased, taunted, and punched for years. The worst humiliation he suffered was every time he logged on to the internet. Someone had conducted a abusive website, in which students from his school would make fun of him. In “Cyber-bullying,” an article in the website for CBC News (Oct. 10, 2002), David Knight maintains, "Rather than just some people, say 30 in a cafeteria, hearing them all yell insults at you, it's up there for 6 billion people to see. Anyone with a computer can see it, says David. And you can't get away from it. It doesn't go away when you come home from school. It made me feel even more trapped." David Knight's family had requested that the site be taken down, but the service providers did not respond. They included the cops in this, but once again no one other than David's family stood up for him. They only included themselves in his torment. Making David's life worse than it already was, and never defending him from their hatred. In www.bullying.org (March 6, 2006) contends, when a peer steps in; bullying stops within ten seconds 57% of the time. Don't just stand there actually do something it might just work out. ESCHS's Way of Dealing With Bullies Jenny is treated as if she is an outsider almost everyday of her life. Although here at East Side there are programs for students to realize how hurtful this is, some don't seem to understand. E.S.C.H.S. doesn't just put this matter aside as if it is just apart of life. They think up new methods to fix this problem. One, is there is a curriculum ("Let's Get Real) at the school being taught every year, so that the students do not forget this is an important problem. Staff of E.S.C.H.S. asks students what they could do to stop bullying. Bullies E.S.C.H.S. are not let "off the hook" when it comes to bullying. There are many different consequences they would have to apologize, or would have to face a higher authority (the dean, and/or the principal) East Side 9th Grade student Jenny Vasquez stated that, "They took the bully out of the classroom. And talked to him, about why he was bullying me." This incident that happened with Jenny proves not all students listen to this curriculum taught at East Side, but either way the staff did not let this slide. They took the student out to have a talk with them later on that student was punished for what they had done to Jenny. There is now a respect committee for each grade in this school, in which they discuss better ways to deal with bullying. This committee has representatives from each advisory of each grade. The representatives are taught methods, in which they are to teach their fellow classmates during advisory class. East Side 9th Grade Student Jenny Vasquez inputs, "That the respect committee is having a big impact on the school, because now the staffs are changing their disciplinary methods. Those have shown new results. Such as, the bullying has become less of a big problem." When asked when someone gets bullied what reactions come in mind, East Side 9th Grade Student Sara Riggs replied, "It depends. If I know they handle it themselves, I mind my own business. If not, I tell the person something, but not in a disrespectful way. For example, not all in there face or with an attitude." Sara Riggs is an example of a bystander that would actually stand up for someone. Unlike others who just stand there, and laugh along with the bully. A Helping Hand Is In Need In WWW.BULLYING.ORG (March 6, 2006) it contends, "Speak up-- Tell the bully that they're wrong and that you won't get involved in any bullying. Help the victim- put yourself in their shoes. Would you want someone to help you if you were being picked on? Of course! Don't join in. Don't call kids names or pick on them. Bullies try to get other kids to join in. Find help from teachers, parents, friends, or other grown-ups. Tell someone if you see a kid being bullied. Telling is not tattling! If you're scared of the bully, then don't let them know you told."